Effect of Artificial Carbon Dioxide-Rich Water Immersion on Peripheral Blood Flow in Healthy Volunteers: Preliminary Study about Artificial Carbon Dioxide-Rich Water

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood circulation disorder is one of the global health problems. Balneotherapy that uses CO2 springs may be one of the complementary treatment options. The device to produce artificial CO2-rich water is needed to achieve an improvement effect, at least almost like the improvement effect of natural balneotherapy. AIM: This study aims to investigate the effect of artificial CO2-rich water immersion on peripheral blood flow using Bicarbonated JesC CREA BC-2000. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Thirty-nine healthy volunteers participated in this study. Each subject immersed both of their legs in a mixed solution from water and CO2 at temperature 38°C. This solution was mixed using a device, namely, “Bicarbonated JesC CREA BC-2000”. Peripheral blood flow was measured for 5 min before immersion (in this study, we denoted it as the mean basal blood flow), 10 min during immersion, and 5 min after immersion using pocket JMS laser Doppler flowmetry MBF-IIA. Repeated analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There is the difference in peripheral blood flow among before, during, and after immersing the legs into artificial CO2-rich water using Bicarbonated JesC CREA BC-2000 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Bicarbonated JesC CREA BC-2000 may be used as the device to produce an artificial CO2-rich water bath that may affect peripheral blood flow in healthy volunteers.